1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information equipment remote operating system in which information equipment having a display device capable of displaying multiple windows, such as a personal computer at a remote location, is operated through a network using other information equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, small-sized information terminals capable of connecting to a network such as cellular phones capable of connecting to the Internet and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) having a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) have become widespread. Further, the resolution of display devices included in these small-sized information terminals has improved, and display of fine images has been enabled. Accordingly, research and development of products for connecting to equipment such as a personal computer at a remote location from a small-sized information terminal via a network, so as to operate the equipment has advanced.
For example, a technique for operating a personal computer (PC), to which software is preinstalled, from a cellular phone and PDA available for use of a Web browser via a network, has been disclosed in “Software for Realizing Remote Operations of PC from Cellular Phone”, Japan IBM, [online], press release, [searched on Apr. 12, 2004], Internet <URL: http://www-6.ibm.com/jp/domino05/ewm/NewsDB.nsf/2002/05271>, for example.
Further in the same way, a technique for operating a PC, to which software is preinstalled, using a Web browser or dedicated viewer available for use of a specific language has been disclosed in “Virtual Network Cc”, ATT, [online], [searched on Apr. 12, 2004], Internet <URL:http://www.uk.research.att.com/archive/vnc/>, for example.
Furthermore, a remote operating system for performing remote operations of a PC from a cellular phone by using a method in which a relay server is provided between the cellular phone and the PC, and communication between the relay server and the cellular phone is performed using the original protocol has been realized, as disclosed in “Research of Computer Remote Operating System Using Cellular Phone”, Masato Nakasu, [online], University of Tsukuba, [searched on Apr. 12, 2004], Internet <URL:http://www.iplab.is.tsukuba.ac.jp/˜baru/research/keitai.h tml> for example.
However, with a technique for connecting a PC to which software is preinstalled to a cellular phone or PDA via a network and a Web browser, the entire screen is converted into HTML (HyperText Markup Language) and transmitted from information equipment such as a PC or the like serving as an operated device, to information equipment such as a cellular phone, PDA, or the like serving as an operating device, accordingly leading to a problem wherein display is different between the case of operating the operating-side information equipment and the case of operating the operated-side information equipment.
Further, with a technique for operating a PC, to which software is preinstalled, using a Web browser or dedicated viewer available for use of a specific language, the screen of the PC serving as operated-side information equipment can be displayed on operating-side information equipment without any change, but available information equipment serving as operating-side information equipment is restricted to information equipment to be operated on a specific Operating System, and accordingly, cellular phones and some PDAs cannot be used.
Furthermore, with conventional various types of remote operating techniques including a technique for providing a relay server between a cellular phone and a PC and performing communication, even in the event that portability of image information from operating-side information equipment such as a small-sized information terminal or the like to operated-side information equipment such as a PC or the like is performed, only a part of the screen of the operated-side information equipment is displayed on the operating-side information equipment. Accordingly, in the event that the operated-side information equipment is information equipment having a display device capable of displaying multiple windows, screen display in the operating-side information equipment is performed regardless of windows. In the event of referring to another window, instructions to move the display screen vertically and horizontally are necessary at the operating-side information equipment.
In other words, with conventional information equipment, no correlation exists between the display range of the operating-side information equipment and the window on the operated-side information equipment, leading to a problem wherein accompanying movement of a window complicates operations at the operating-side information equipment. In particular, the display region is restricted in the small-sized information equipment, leading to a problem wherein only a part of the window can be referred to at the time of referring to a large window in the operated-side information equipment from the small-sized operating-side information equipment.
In addition to these problems, information equipment such as cellular phones and the like also have a problem wherein an input device normally provided to a PC such as a mouse or the like cannot be used, and a problem wherein the number of buttons or keys is restricted.
In other words, in the event of performing remote operations of information equipment such as a PC or the like using information equipment such as a cellular phone or PDA, having hardware restrictions, and of which the display unit is small as compared with normal information equipment such as a PC or the like, there are various factors which reduce convenience.